Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Heronry Trail

5.6 mi · ▲ 207 ft · 1 hr 58 min

Heronry Trail is a 5.6-mile out-and-back in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary near Groton, MA. It is mostly level, with 207 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 16/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi259 – 345 ft6.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.60977, -71.53972
Nearest town Groton, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Heronry Trail

5.6 mi · ▲ 207 ft · 1 hr 58 min

Elevation 258–343 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Trailhead: 42.60977, -71.53972

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  3. 450 ftBear left, heading S.
  4. 400 ftBear right, heading S.
  5. 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  7. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  8. 1.4 miBear right, heading SW.
  9. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  10. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  11. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  12. 450 ftBear left onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading SE.
  13. 300 ftTurn right, heading S.
  14. 150 ftTurn left onto Ovenbird Trail, heading SE.
  15. 0.2 miTurn left onto Fire Road, heading NE.
  16. 50 ftContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading NE.
  17. 50 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading SE.
  18. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading SE.
  19. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  20. 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  21. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  22. 250 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading NE.
  23. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading W.
  24. 50 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading SW.
  25. 100 ftTurn right onto Ovenbird Trail, heading SW.
  26. 0.2 miTurn right onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading W.
  27. 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
  28. 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
  29. 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
  30. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  31. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  32. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  33. 1.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  34. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  35. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  36. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  37. 400 ftBear right, heading N.
  38. 450 ftBear right, heading N.
  39. 0.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

94% dirt6% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:04 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~70 min). Leave by 6:34 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:29 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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